So you just received your first virtual reality headset for the holidays. It’s a shiny and new with that fresh out-of-the-box smell and the promise of unique experiences. But before showing off VR to friends and family, it’s best to wade, not dive, into the offerings.
After spending time with my own PlayStation VR headset, I’ve learned you shouldn’t pick up the first shooter or racing game you come across. That’s like jumping into trigonometry when you haven’t mastered addition and subtraction. Instead, first adjust to how the technology works, starting with practicing how to strap the device on the noggin for the most comfortable gaming.
Once that’s done, it’s good to start off with passive experiences. Players can download the Hulu or Littlstar app on the PlayStation 4. Both programs offer VR video experiences. Many are short documentaries shot with special cameras, giving users the feeling of being in Paris or Yellowstone Park.
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“Surgeon Simulator” is a port of the popular PC game. It puts players in the role of doctor and they have to perform surgery without any prior knowledge. Is it a recipe for disaster? Yes, it is but it’s also a formula for laughs as players fumble with tools and hack through poor patients in an effort to replace a vital organ. Think of this as the evolution of the board game “Operation” and an offering for aspiring doctors.
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“I Expect You to Die” takes the “escape from a room” genre and moves it to the virtual realm. Players take on the role of a secret agent and, during each mission, find themselves in a James Bond predicament like having to stop a virus from launching on a missile or fixing a leaky escape pod from a sub.
The project is essentially a puzzle game where players have to use the tools in the environment to solve problems and disable traps. Often the solutions are clever, letting players do tricks they normally see in movies such as spraying mist to see invisible lasers or finding a secret compartment in a room. The only issue is that using the special agent’s telekentic powers to grab things in the environment can take some adjustment. But it’s an ability that works well.
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Source: Mercury News